This invention pertains to shoe heel protectors, and more particularly, to a device to cover the heel and back portions of a shoe to protect them from becoming scuffed when worn while driving, operating office machines, or doing any other activity which could expose a shoe to the likelihood of damage.
The heel and back of a shoe used by a driver to depress the accelerator pedal of an automobile are highly susceptible to damage or marring from sand or grit on the floor mat or carpet. Other activities are also apt to expose a shoe to similar degradation. This problem is especially pronounced for ladies shoes having relatively high heels. Shoes of this type have a substantially long area of polished surface and the shoe shape dictates that much of the heel and back portions of the shoe rest on the floor when the wearer is seated and operating an automobile accelerator, office machine, or other foot operated device.
This invention also pertains to women's accessories in that the invented heel protector may be used in a purely decorative manner.
Many attempts have heretofore been made to protect against the scarring of shoe heels and backs. A wide variety of protective covers for the heel portions of shoes have been suggested. Many of these comprise covers having shapes intended to more or less conform to the contour of the rear portion of a shoe and the covers are fastened to the shoe with any of a variety of hooks, snaps, buttons, laces, glues or other type fasteners.
Several major drawbacks have been encountered with the previously suggested heel protectors. First, many have been rather difficult to install on a shoe, at least in a manner suitable for insuring that the protector does not inadvertently become dislodged while being worn. Prior protectors of this type often utilized laces, buttons, snaps or hooks which were not easily fastened or removed. Many protectors also required that a user's foot be immediately inserted into their shoe so as to prevent the protector from becoming dislodged. Additionally, the fastening devices of this type could be uncomfortable to the wearer, especially if worn for long periods of time.
The irregular contours of the heel portions of most shoes have also figured significantly in the fact that protectors for this portion of the shoe have not been widely accepted. Some inventors of these items have attempted to shape leather, rubber or similar materials to closely conform to the shape of the shoe. These attempts have been largely unsuccessful, not only because of the difficult to fit contour, but also because of the wide variations in shoe styles wherein the contours of the various respective styles vary substantially. It has either been necessary for the wearer to utilize a generally baggy and unsightly protector in an attempt to accommodate all shoe styles and shapes or the wearer must have a separate protector for each different shoe style possessed.
Furthermore, protectors have been cumbersome, being fabricated out of a variety of hard plastics and often comprising numerous bulky fasteners.
Protectors have also been uncomfortable, some requiring that a hard plastic or metal clip or flap be disposed between the rear of a shoe and the user's foot. Others have required that a strap be tied or looped around a user's ankle.